NER

1. Overview of the scientific program:

The North East Region of India has been identified as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. The region, though endowed with one of the best bioresources of the country faces several challenges in terms of poor agricultural/ horticulture outputs, high disease burden in the homogeneous ethnic communities, degradation of the fragile ecosystem, lack of skilled manpower, good research infrastructure etc. In order to give focused attention for the region, the Department has earmarked 10% of its annual budget every year for implementing special programmes for the NER since 2010. The specialized programme for NER aims at promoting and strengthening biotechnology related activities for addressing local challenges and harnessing endemic bioresources for the economic development of the region.

2. The Objectives of the NER Programme:

• To facilitate biotech-based development in the North Eastern Region of India through conceptualization, implementation, mentoring and monitoring of biotechnology intervened R&D programs for holistic developments in the region.
• To initiate Bio-resource based Entrepreneurship programmes in NER to uplift rural income of farmers and small entrepreneurs of the Region.
• To establish of Research Resources, Service Facilities and Platforms to provide support to a broad range of multidisciplinary, shared research resources critical for advancing various areas of life sciences and biotechnology in the North East Region.
• To implement programmes to ensure that human resource development matches the evolving needs of the North East Region.

3. Major Outputs from the NER Programme :

4. Major Programmes:

• Twinning R&D Programme for NER:The programme was initiated in 2010-2011 towards developing core competence and capacity in various areas of biotechnology through collaboration of Institutes from North East India with other leading Institutes across the country. The programme has catalyzed vibrant collaborations between 65+ institutions from NER and those from the rest of India in various spheres of biotechnology, where close to 650 R&D projects has been supported benefitting around 450 researchers and 2000 young researchers / students.

Fig.1 Collaborations under the DBT- Twinning R&D Programme

• Establishment of Biotech Hubs across NER:Since 2011, a network of 126 Biotech Hubs were established across NER, providing necessary infrastructure in universities/ colleges/ institutions and the required training in sophisticated technologies to support and promote biological sciences / biotechnology education and research. In the Phase-II, 54 Biotech have been supported for focused Research & training on local issues.

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